


Taking Flight

by Shi_Toyu



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, BAMF Tony Stark, Canonical Character Death, Character Study, Gen, Inspired by Art, Inspired by Fanart, Iron Man 1, Minor Character Death, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Tony Being Tony, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony-centric, Wingfic, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 10:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13006122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: Tony takes some time on the cliffs by his Malibu residence to think about the past and look to the future.





	Taking Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FISHNONES](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FISHNONES/gifts).



> Inspired by the lovely, amazing hello-shellhead on Tumblr, who gave me permission to write something for [ this piece of art! ](http://hello-shellhead.tumblr.com/post/167599859081/tony-standing-on-a-cliff-contemplating-whether-he)

Tony stood at the top of the cliff, listening to the ocean far below, gazing out over the waves. Far off in the distance, the sun was just coming up, lighting the water ablaze with magnificent hues of red, orange, and yellow. He spread his wings wide to catch the first of the day’s rays, one flesh and feather of colors not unlike the sunrise before him, the other of his own creation, composed of metal and light. He could only feel the heat of the sun on one of them.

So much had changed in the past few months, Tony thought as he looked down at the Iron Man gauntlet adorning his left hand. He’d been tinkering with it, was all, fixing up some of the damage it had sustained, but now… Yinsen had told him not to waste his life, and Tony was trying, but he felt as grounded as he had with only one wing back in that cave, as blind as a bat when it came to where he needed to go next. He’d been forced to kill the man he’d thought of as more of a father figure than his actual father the night before and, well, he hadn’t been expecting that. He knew better than most that nothing came without sacrifice, though.

And sacrifice… Well, it was called sacrifice for a reason, wasn’t it? If it were easy, it wouldn’t mean as much.

“Tony?” Pepper asked from behind him. He peeked over one shoulder to see a freshly-pressed suit on a hanger in her hand. Her soft, downy wings were pulled in close to her body, but there wasn’t a single feather out of place. “We need to leave now if we want to make it to the press conference on time. Are you ready?”

Ready for what? To tell the world the lie that would protect his identity? Or ready to reveal to all that he could be something else, something _more_?

He knew which one SHIELD wanted him to do, which one he _should_ do.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, folding his wings back in and turning to join Pepper, taking the suit from her fingers. “I’m ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> [ Say hi on Tumblr! ](https://shi-toyu.tumblr.com/)
> 
> A limited number of commision spots will be opening up next week, so make sure you don't miss out!


End file.
